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Spring's End

Core Holiday
Seed Moon: First New Moon of May.

Celebrates the Re-Crowning of the Unknown King, and the performance of the Great Rite, and the renewal of the Contract of Land as a result. It also celebrates the Cultivated Land itself, and its renewed fertility.

Emphasis here falls on varied labor, blessings, and prayer: The blessing of seeds and orchards, livestock, and agricultural and other equipment of labor; the most important action, is the sowing of the garden / crops for the year, and the turning out of the herds for grazing. Additional emphasis falls on the protection of both as well as their tenders- predominantly from floods and tornadoes as considerable regional concerns.

Inspirations

The Old Roman Sementivae; Old Irish Beltane (as I interpreted it regionally as an Irish Reconstructionist); Polish Zielone Świątki; Old English practice of Wassailing the Orchards; Old English tradition of Beating the Bounds.

The practice of “Wassailing the Orchards” involves trooping into orchards to sing to the trees, entreaty local land spirits, and a combination of singing, drums, and bells to frighten out any lingering spirits who wished harm. This is followed by offerings for health and fecundity to the trees themselves, in the form of cider and cream spilled around each tree’s roots to ensure their health; this practice shall be adopted to the gardens and herds as well.

April's wassailing is followed by the planting or grafting of new orchard tree stock in May- which is invariably accompanied by spontaneous rituals of nurturing and care as the young trees are fed, watered, and protected from the elements; this practice shall be adopted to the gardens and herds as well.

Cattle receive blessings with holy water and frankincense on this day.

Associations

Symbols
  • Bees
  • Cows
  • Roses
  • Peonies
  • Birch Trees
Activities
Foods
  • Honey
  • Herbed Butter
  • Mutton / Lamb
  • Cheese
  • Yoghurt
  • Milk Bread
  • Bread Pudding